Oumou Sangaré is famous all over the world for its vibrant and powerful music, which often contains revolutionary messages on topics such as women’s rights, tradition and poverty. Since the release of her debut album Moussoulou in 1989, the career of the Malian singer has not had any stops. Among the most important stages of his rich and fruitful journey are some of the most important recordings in the history of contemporary African music: Ko Sira (1993), Worotan (1996) and Seya (2009), the latter nominated for a Grammy Award. Counting among her fans the likes of Alicia Keys and Beyoncé (who sampled the classic Diaraby Nene for the soundtrack of the 2019 film The Lion King), Sangaré has long broken the barriers that separate continents and musical styles.

Timbuktu, her new album released on April 29 for World Circuit, is the last act of an unprecedented musical epic, which consecrates an artist from the poor neighborhoods of Bamako to become a world-famous musician and activist. The album intertwines intimate sonic connections between traditional West African instruments and those related to the history of blues, in particular kamele n’goni and its distant heirs, dobro and slide guitar.

Oumou Sangaré’s texts have never reached such a poetic quality, such depth. We have never seen you so inspired to express your thoughts on the indecipherable mysteries of existence, the dangerous situation your country is going through at the moment or the general condition of African women, demonstrating that, despite the celebrity, did not renounce the commitment of his youth.

“Music is inside me, without it I am nothing and nothing can take it away! I put my life in this record, my whole life, this life in which I knew hunger, the humiliation of poverty and fear, and from which today I draw glory“.